In the annals of nature photography, Erik Stensland may someday be as synonymous with Rocky Mountain National Park, as Ansel Adams is with Yosemite.

The Estes Park-based photographer has been documenting the incredible landscapes of the park for 15 years. But his latest effort is not just an homage to its natural beauty. Rather, it’s a holistic view, encompassing the overall experience of the park, and reminding us of the stewardship required to maintain it, so that it can be enjoyed by generations to come.

Courtesy photo

The cover of Stensland’s new book.

The book, commissioned by the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, to service the ever-growing number of visitors to the park, is a comprehensive guide that covers 75 of the best hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. But it also serves a larger purpose.

“Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park: The Essential Guide,” is a primer of sorts, a reference for visitors on how to stay safe, how to be prepared, what to do if you encounter wildlife, trail etiquette, and more.
“The Conservancy wanted a book to help people have an amazing experience, but minimize their impact on the park,” said Stensland.

So he went to work at a break-neck pace.

“I re-hiked all of the trails, took notes, took pictures. It took a year to write it, and another few months to get it designed and edited, so almost a year and a half to complete it,” Stensland said. “And then I found out these guides usually take four years,” he laughed.

This is a departure from his more traditional fine-art photo books.

“I’ve been told it’s like a coffee table book that’s packed with information,” he said. “In a sense, it didn’t come out of my own vision of where I was going with my writing and photography. But it’s an incredible honor to be asked to do something with the Rocky Mountain Conservancy. I’m passionate about the park and concerned about the impact that it’s currently undergoing. I’m happy to help protect this national treasure.”

Courtesy photo

Eric Stensland

The book, currently out of stock on Amazon, is the number one best seller in the Mountain West. It was released last Friday, and two thirds of the print run has already sold out.

“Dozens of people gave their time and energy to help me create it, and it’s completely surpassed my expectations,” he said.

As for the message of stewardship in the book, it seems to have been perfect timing for those lessons.
“More and more people are visiting national parks who don’t know how to behave in nature,” Stensland said. “It’s not willful wrongdoing, they’re just not educated.”

To that end, Stensland has also spent the last two years working on a website, www.naturefirstphotography.org, which is trying to educate newcomers to the wild.

“The impact of photography on our wild lands can’t be overlooked,” Stensland said. “Now photographers are recognizing that they have a responsibility attached to showing these locations to the world.”

He said the website is trying to address the problem by setting out a series of best-practices to help preserve what’s left of our wild areas.

“We’re hoping to start a movement,” Stensland said.

“Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park: The Essential Guide,” can be found locally at McDonald’s Bookstore, Kind Coffee, and Stensland’s gallery, Images of RMNP.